Zhangjiajie (Avatar Mountains): Your Ultimate Guide
Updated: Sep 20, 2023
All the best things to do in and around the stunning 'Avatar Mountains', Zhangjiajie!
Zhangjiajie is truly an incredible thing to see and experience. It is the scenery that inspired the Avatar movie, and it truly is unique and spectacular. It is an amazing natural wonder, with some of the most beautiful cable car rides you will find anywhere in China.
It's definitely worth a visit... but there are some things to keep in mind -
Staying true to China’s ability to make almost anything accessible to huge amounts of people… the area has an elevator up one side of a mountain (Zhangjiajie), and huge escalators up and down another mountain (Tianmen mountain). There is also a restaurant complex at the top of some of the mountains in Zhangjiajie National Forest Park. So, if quaint, peaceful, and remote nature is what you are after… it may be worth shifting your mindset! You'll find peace and quiet in some areas, but you'll actively need to find it.
Also… it is one of the most popular tourist sites in the whole of China, so crowds can be insane. I highly recommend making every effort to go during a quieter time (during the week, and definitely NOT over a Chinese holiday). Also, mentally prepare yourself for the waiting times and crowds.
If you have time, I suggest doing Zhangjiajie + Fenghuang as one trip. Click here to see my post about Fenghuang.
How many days?
At least 2.5 days, although 3 might be better.
So, why visit?
Incredible scenery
AWESOME cable car views
Relatively close access to Fenghuang (UNESCO ancient town) - Click here to see my post about Fenghuang
Best things to do
Visit Zhangjiajie National Forest Park
Zhangjiajie National Forest Park is a massive scenic area, covering about 1,200 hectares with an average altitude of about 1,100 m. Once in the park, you can catch buses, cable cars, and elevators to various areas of the park. There are also various hikes within the park.
Almost any route you do will take you to incredible views. I recommend making sure the following areas are in your route:
Tianzishan Cableway
Ten-mile Natural Gallery Monkey Park & Three Sisters Peak
Huangshizhai Cableway
Wulingyuan Scenic Area (including Tianqiao Bridge Lock Note, Fenglin Gorge, Back Garden Sightseeing Platform, and Platform for Worshipping God)
Bialong Tianti
Tips:
The park really is massive, so I recommend starting at the Wulingyuan Scenic and Historic Interest Area East Gate on day one and then starting at the Wulingyuan Scenic and Historic South Gate on the second day. This is a nice way to see all areas of the park without repeating much.
The main bus routes will likely be packed with people. If possible, rather find walking paths between tourist areas to get away from the crowds and get some peace and quiet.
Visit Tianmen Mountain
Another stunning mountain in the area (or so I have heard – it was super misty when we went). Catch the world's longest cable car up the mountain, and spend a few solid hours exploring the mountain which will involve walking along the 1,400 m high walkway that loops around the cliffside. It usually takes about 1.5 hours, depending on the crowds. There are also a few famous glass walkways if that’s your thing (it's not mine).
From here, you can either take a chairlift to the summit (about a 20-minute wait + 20-minute chairlift). From there, you can take an elevator down to the cable car station and either head to Tianmen Cave, or back down to where you started.
To get to Tianmen Cave, you can take a bus from the cable car station along the 99 bends road PLUS up 999 steep narrow steps up to Tianmen Cave – essentially a massive hole through the mountains. In my mind, it's not really worth the trek, the painful climb up steep steps, or fighting off the crowds…
Address of Tianmen Mountain cable car (lower station):
Northwest Corner of the Intersection of Dayong Road and Yingbin Road, Zhangjiajie (张家界市大庸路与迎宾路路口西北角，天门山索道下站)
Best areas to stay
I suggest staying in Wulingyuan town. It is a decently sized town, where you’ll be able to find decent accommodation and a bunch of restaurants. It’s also a quick taxi ride to the Wulingyuan East Gate entrance.
If you are looking for something a bit more quaint and in nature, I recommend staying in one of the villages around Zhangjiajie National Forest Park. This can be a bit more of an issue to figure out transport to the park as well as food, but we spent two nights in Wulingyuan and two nights in the Lijia village, closer to Wulingyuan South Gate entrance, which was lovely!
Getting around
Catching a taxi to the scenic area entrances is probably your best bet. Once within the scenic area, you will have the choice of cable cars, elevators, escalators, buses, and walking.
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